Owen J. Roberts teachers show up in force to demand new contract

Teachers in the Owen J. Roberts School District have been working without a contract since July 1, despite nearly a year of negotiations with the school board.

At a board meeting Monday night, Roberts Education Association President Steve Raught read a prepared statement asking “the board to provide us with a contract which demonstrates as much respect for us as we have shown this community.” About 150 teachers attended the meeting.

School board President Douglas Hughes said that the board has been meeting regularly with the teachers’ union to try to iron out differences, and two negotiation sessions have scheduled for February.

“Multiple bargaining sessions are scheduled for the coming weeks and the board is confident a fair settlement will ultimately result from these discussions,” Hughes said.

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Both he and Raught said agreements have been reached on a number of important issues, but salaries and health care benefits remain major sticking points.

“Like many contracts in the region, compensation and health care remain on the table as significant issues for both parties. Due to the (Act 1) index and the current economic climate both parties continue to discuss a sustainable and fair contract,” Hughes said.

In his statement to the board, Raught claimed that “our overall health care package is worse than almost every district in this entire state.” He later explained that the teacher’s union contends that the overall contribution OJR teachers make to their health care benefits is significantly higher than that paid by most other districts.

He also offered examples of 20 other nearby districts whose veterans Masters Degree pay rate is higher than that of Owen J. Roberts teachers.

But attorney Mark Fitzgerald, of Fox Rothschild, in Blue Bell, who is representing the board during negotiations, disagreed with the teachers’ union claims. He called the reference to the Masters Degree rate “a mischaracterization of salaries,” and insisted the board had made proposals to increase salaries.

He also dismissed Raught’s assertions about health care benefits.

“The health care within the contract is very competitive when compared with plans in other districts in the county,” Fitzgerald said during a phone interview Wednesday. “And the board has made proposals to increase contributions to the REA.”

Fitzgerald pointed out that the current health care package was approved by the teachers’ union when the last contract was settled two years ago, and he maintained that “there was an increased contribution by the district at the start of that contract.”

The last teachers’ contract, signed in 2010, was a two-year extension of a five-year agreement. In his statement, Raught pointed out that over the course of those seven years, teachers had remained committed to the district despite a number of challenges, which included “enduring the previous dysfunctional school board.”

“We have remained true to our calling despite having six superintendents in four years. We continued our professional commitment despite the disruption caused by three building projects,” he added.

The district has had two permanent superintendents and several interim superintendents since Myra Forrest was fired in a highly controversial decision by the previous board in 2009. The building projects Raught referred to were the construction of West Vincent Elementary School, an addition on the high school, and an extensive renovation of the middle school.

“Our teachers helped this district not only survive but thrive during this difficult period,” Raught stated, adding that teachers had “accepted multiple salary concessions,” during that time. Those concessions included several salary freezes, he explained.

As a result, “we now fall well behind our neighboring districts in various comparisons,” he claimed.

Despite the fact that the board and teachers’ union have thus far remained polarized on key items, both Raught and Fitzgerald said they are optimistic that a contract will be reached.

“I do believe that, while there are sticking points, the parties will certainly get to an agreement,” said Fitzgerald. “Multiple bargaining sessions are planned, and I hope we are getting closer to a settlement.”

About the Author

Laura Catalano is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in books, magazines and newspapers. She is a frequent contributer to The Mercury, for which she writes news, features and a monthly column. She lives in Pottstown and works for the Schuylkill River Heritage Area. Reach the author at LauraC802@aol.com
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